BILL NUMBER: S44
SPONSOR: WALCZYK
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the state law, in relation to redesigning the state flag
 
PURPOSE 0R GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Reverts to original State Seal and calls for design of a new New York
State Flag
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 removes the "seal on a bedsheet" provision of law and returns
the Great Seal of the State of New York to it's 1781 design.
Section 2 directs the Commissioner of the Office of General Services to
commission the North American Vexillological Association for design of a
proper State flag.
Section 3 gives the enacting clause.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation is justified because words have meaning and symbols
matter to the people of the State of New York.
"E pluribus unum" is the traditional motto of the United States. It
means "out of many, one" in Latin and has been placed on the U.S. Great
Seal since the founding of our Nation. The Motto alludes to t he union
of 13 British Colonies in America under one independent banner against
tyranny and oppression. Rather than bowing to the royalty
of the crown, we set out to create a new experiment in representative
democracy with revolutionary concepts like the creation of 3 co-equal
branches of government with checks and balances and a bill of rights to
ensure the true power remained with the office of the citizen.
The first draft of the New York State seal was made in April 1777.
Deliberation, debate, and good government discussion was had until a
final design was codified in law a year later. Since 1778 the "The Great
Seal of the State of New York" has remained in that beautiful design,
packed with meaningful symbols. Lady Liberty and Lady Justice hold the
shield and a right-facing American bald eagle spreads its wings above on
a world globe. Liberty's sinister (left) foot kicks the crown off the
King, and holds a staff topped with a Phrygian Cap, an ancient roman
symbol of liberty. Justice is blindfolded to show her impartiality and
holds the sword of conviction in one hand and a scale in the other,
symbolizing fairness. The shield displays two ships on the Hudson River
for inland and foreign commerce, bordered by a grassy shore and a moun-
tain range with the sun rising behind it. On the banner at the base of
the seal has always displayed the New York State motto "Excelsior," a
Latin word meaning "Ever Upward."
The Governor of the State of New York changed the Great Seal of the
State of New York in the 2020-2021 budget proposal. Unlike the de liber-
ations held under Governor Clinton in the first years of our new State,
he sought no input and facilitated no dialogue. Instead, the Executive
made a decision to alter a symbol that has existed for 242 years as if
he had the authority of a European monarch. Unfortunately
the proposal was jammed into a budget bill and because of its nature,
did not receive due debate as a stand-alone bill in either house of the
Legislature. We, the people of the State of New York, reserve the right
to keep our seal as is.
Section 1 of this bill removes the undemocratic addition to the motto on
the scroll at the bottom of the seal. Additionally, the bill also
removes the terrible vexillological decision to put our great seal on a
bedsheet and call it a flag.
Section 2 of this bill requires the Commissioner of the Office of Gener-
al Services to commission the North American Vexillological Association
for design of a proper flag. It is unrepresentative of our great state
to lazily take the official seal and put it on a rectangle in order to
fill the need for a flag. A flag isn't a government box to check; it's a
symbol to rally around, to inspire hope, to grace the shoulders of our
State Police, to fly proudly on the flag poles of government buildings
and if we've done it well, evoke the deep pride us New Yorkers feel each
time we think of the Great State of New York.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A10860/S8880 (2020): Referred to Rules
A4458/S2610 (2021): Referred to Investigations and Government Operations
S4232 (2023): Referred to Investigations and Government Operations
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Minimal.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the
date upon which it shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S44: 70 state law